Precision and a proper plan go hand in hand with designing every single inch of your dream home. It’s not only a case of moving around, putting together a collection of items; rather, it requires making informed decisions regarding dimensions, space planning, aesthetics, practicality, and even needs anticipated in the future. Designing without a plan often leads to bringing in products based on impulse inspired by home décor images you save, which might not fit perfectly within your space. To this end, it is very important to have the right kind of tools that will make designing much easier and more effective.

Among such tools for the accuracy of planning your home is powerful 3D floor plan software. It gives you the ability to see in 3D and make decisions on what’s best for wall, furniture, and decoration locations. With 3D floor plan software, you will be able to optimize every corner while minimizing errors and facilitating the task of the contractor to bring your dream into reality.

In addition, the use of interior design software complements this process by providing a means to experiment with various styles, materials, and color schemes. Interior design software lets you view quite realistically how the combined elements would look; the principle is to ensure that this conversion is not only good-looking but functional. Combining both tools will bring about the creation of a space that satisfies your needs without stress and a crystal-clear blueprint from where your contractor can start working efficiently.

Benefits of Using 3D Floor Plan Software

Almost every DIY designer starts with this type of software to make their renovation or home building project, and not without good reason. 3D floor plan software helps you carve out your floor plans to scale, visualize them from all angles, and show you how the structure and flow of the home will be, so you can decide how to install furniture, modify it to suit the regulatory codes in the region, or optimize it to make it functional. 

Earlier both designers and DIY enthusiasts did floor plans on a chart or graph paper, but it can be tedious and you will certainly miss out on features 3D floor plan software offers. With the tool you can:

• Avoid placing two spaces that shouldn’t be placed together – such as a bathroom near a kitchen, a bedroom that opens right into the living room, etc.
• Help you avoid buying oversized or undersized furniture that doesn’t suit your space.
• Help you sidestep the tedious process of your contractor reworking your plans to get more accurate dimensions
• Experiment with different layouts, and styles instantly, instead of creating one new one every time inspiration strikes
• Gives you hyper-real imagery, in 2D and 3D, so you can almost watch the home come alive, instead of splurging on building models that don’t quite represent the actual space
• Identifies errors in the initial stages, and keeps you from making mistakes that might cost you a lot during the later construction phases

Common Mistakes People Make When Choosing Interior Design Software

• Buying a tool just because it’s a famous one used by designers, just so you can create great designs
• Not checking if the interior design software is compatible with the floor plan software you use, or plan on using
• Investing in a tool without completely running down its features or understanding what it can or cannot do, only to realize some non-negotiable features are missing
• Not considering what kind of hardware the software needs and ending up with an advanced tool on a system that isn’t built for it, and facing glitches or crashes with every move
• Not checking the material library to see what variety and customization options are available

6 Steps to Creating the Home of Your Dreams Using 3D Floor Plan Creator and Interior Design Software

1. Building a floor plan to optimize the space you have

Space is at a premium, so you’d want to make the best use of every inch of space you have, without leaving anything to chance. Your floor plan software needs to be able to accommodate any existing floor plan your architect or real estate agent handed to you, or the one you’re building. Ensure you place the walls, doors, windows, ceilings, etc at the right heights and widths, so the place doesn’t look cramped, or too airy. 

You start by measuring the space in and out, considering the site plan your designer or architect drew up for you, and evaluating all natural and manmade elements near your space – water bodies, sewage tanks, neighboring houses, gardens, etc. 

Then upload your existing floor plan onto the 3D floor plan software and trace the walls, doors, and other boundaries carefully. You may need a wall-snapping feature like we have in Foyr Neo, to help you get the dimensions right. If you don’t have an existing floor plan and want to create it (like in most home renovation projects), you can do that easily as you walk through each room, and make a drawing on the tool.

2. Use the interior design software to choose the right design layout for your needs

A modern look and a contemporary look can have very different impacts on your space, and how you perceive your home. Since every little decision depends on the style you’re going for, use the interior design software to apply different design layouts to your home, shortlisting what products you like, dislike, or want to customize. Adjust room sizes and configurations to fit your lifestyle needs (e.g., open kitchen, spacious living areas). If you integrate the two tools right, you can access your floor plan instantly, and check how each layout fits into each space you have – the living room, bedroom, kitchen, etc. 

3. Place furniture, electrical appliances, and decor strategically

Choose the furniture type that suits your decor style, and if you have beautifully blended two styles, make sure the decor products and furniture you choose agree with those styles. Take time to find unique, customized furniture, and place them in your design. Use references you have and the inspirational templates the interior design software has in it. 

It can broaden your imagination and make your decision-making a lot easier, without having to go down a rabbit hole of choices. Since every room will have a bunch of electrical appliances, often of varying heights and breadths, use the 3D floor plan software and interior design software together in identifying viable spots in your floor plan to place electrical appliances, and place power outlets close to them, so you don’t have to bring in extension cords and cause safety concerns for your home.

4. Customize lighting and set the right ambiance

Lighting is the soul of your space, whether it’s natural or artificial lighting. There’s a lot to consider when it comes to lighting – beam, light spread, cool or warm, what energy efficiency it has, direction, feeling it evokes, etc. A myriad of choices for you to choose from. Use the 3D floor plan software to zoom in and out of the space, take aerial views, and figure out where shadows fall during the day and night, what neighbor’s eye level will be, and how concealed your windows need to be, without revealing light at night. 

Once you do that, switch to the interior design software, pick out the latest lighting appliances that appeal the most to you, and agree with the space you’re in. If your tool is advanced like Foyr Neo, you can customize any decor, any lighting product, upload any particular textures you want, and make your home yours through and through.

5. Futureproof your space

If you’re planning to have the elderly, or children, or both in your house, your home needs to be futureproofed, so you and your family don’t have to splurge once again after a few years on home remodel to retrofit elevators or install extra under-carpet lighting, etc. As you design your home on the 3d-floor plan software, take time to think about all future needs you might have – a deck outside with an outdoor cooking unit to spend time with family, extra railings on the staircase, sturdy stair runners, pet doors, features to make your home a smart home, etc. Once you decide where your floor plan needs futureproofing, switch to your interior design software and add them to your design at the right places, in exactly the styles you need. 

6. Visualize the final design and render

Once your design is final, look at it from all possible angles, in all lighting conditions (winter, summer, rainy days) to see if the lighting, shadows, colors, materials, and finishes agree with each other and interact well in the space. If your tool is anything like Foyr Neo, it’d give you features to save every camera view, and a 360-degree walkthrough to evaluate your space entirely and make it error-free. Once you’re convinced, you can render the final design in a few minutes and get started with making your vision come alive – all in a few hours. That’s the power of using an advanced 3D floor plan creator and interior design software tool like Foyr Neo. Try out our 14-day free trial to experience this magic first-hand.